Solid rocket propellants contain various plasticizers such as nitroglycerin, 2-hydroxymethyl-1, 3-propanediol trinitrate, 2,2-di(hydroxymethyl)-1-propanol trinitrate, and 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate. The latter plasticizer is the nitrate ester of 1,2,4-butanetriol. These plasticizers are utilized in propellant formulations to provide energy increase as well as improvements to mechanical properties of the propellant.
1,2,4-butanetriol, the precurser of 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate, has been produced by the dehydration of 1,3-butanediol to 3-butene-1-ol, followed by hydroxylation with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and a tungsten catalyst in aqueous solution. The compound has also been produced on a laboratory scale by the hydrogenation of malic acid or its esters. In addition, 1,2,4-butanetriol has been produced by the reduction of 2-butyne-1,4-diol to 2-butene-1,4-diol, epoxidation to oxiranebismethanol, followed by hydrogenation over a nickel catalyst. The procedure of this invention is believed to be advantageous, especially with respect to cost considerations, when contrasted with such prior techniques for making 1,2,4-butanetriol.